Everything you need to pass your PSW Nursing Care exam: key topics, the rules examiners test, and exam-style practice questions.
Ontario PSW · 80 topics · Updated 2026-10-24
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Identifying the personal support worker's role in the workplace setting in providing person-centred and person-directed care.
Comparing roles and responsibilities between unregulated care providers and regulated health professionals.
Performing PSW skills proficiently and safely as set by applicable legislation, employer job descriptions and policies.
Identifying possible risks and consequences of performing tasks other than in accordance with employer job description, policies, guidelines and legislation.
Adapting the PSW skill set to meet varied role expectations in different facility-based and community-based care settings.
Locating, identifying and following employer's policies and procedures that apply to the PSW role.
The topic covers recognizing conflicts among clients, family members and support workers, attempting resolution with appropriate resources, and reporting to the interprofessional team.
The topic addresses supporting clients and families with child care in accordance with the established plan of care.
The topic covers assisting family members with strategies to balance caregiving and rest in accordance with the plan of care.
Covers understanding the personal support worker's role in the workplace setting when providing person-centred and person-directed care.
Covers identifying and comparing roles and responsibilities between unregulated care providers and regulated health professionals.
Covers performing PSW skills proficiently and safely as set by applicable legislation and employer job descriptions and policies.
Covers identifying possible risks and consequences of performing tasks other than in accordance with employer job description, policies, guidelines or legislation.
Covers adapting the PSW skill set to meet a variety of role expectations in facility-based and community-based care settings within personal competence.
Covers locating, identifying and following employer's policies and procedures that apply to the PSW role.
Covers supporting clients and families with child care in accordance with the established plan of care.
Covers assisting family members as they follow strategies to balance caregiving and rest per the plan of care.
The topic addresses recognizing clients at risk for or experiencing various forms of abuse and neglect and reporting observations promptly to supervisor.
The topic covers actions taken when clients are at risk of or have experienced abuse or neglect, including legal reporting obligations under applicable legislation.
The topic addresses identifying risks of abuse or personal harm to the personal support worker and reporting observations promptly to supervisors.
The topic covers identifying and reporting situations of neglect and abuse involving client, family or caregiver following applicable legislation and employer policies.
Covers identifying clients at risk for or experiencing neglect and various forms of abuse and reporting observations promptly to the supervisor.
Covers identifying risks of abuse or personal harm to the personal support worker and reporting observations promptly to supervisors.
Practicing within the PSW role both independently and as a member of the interprofessional team.
Applying principles of critical thinking to make decisions and solve problems as an individual and as a team member.
Identifying components and relevance of reflective practice for the personal support worker.
Identifying when additional training is required, seeking guidance, and taking actions to attain required knowledge and skills.
Exhibiting behaviours that contribute to professional success such as reliability, attendance, punctuality and appropriate appearance.
Identifying and applying time management skills in day-to-day work.
Identifying and using resources and techniques to manage stress in the personal support worker role.
Covers practising within the PSW role both independently and as a member of the interprofessional team while being accountable.
Covers applying principles of critical thinking to make decisions and solve problems as an individual and as a team member.
Covers identifying components and relevance of reflective practice for the personal support worker.
Covers identifying when additional training is required, seeking guidance and taking actions to attain required knowledge and skills.
Covers exhibiting behaviours such as reliability, attendance, punctuality, time management, and appropriate appearance that reflect positively on the role.
Covers identifying and applying time management skills in day-to-day work.
Covers identifying and using resources and techniques to manage stress in the PSW role.
The topic covers identifying and applying terms, principles and practices related to a palliative approach to care, palliative care, hospice care and end-of-life care.
The topic addresses recognizing grief as a natural, adaptive, individual response to loss and identifying strategies to support clients and families in grieving.
The topic covers supporting clients and families with the process of dying and preparation for death within the personal support worker role.
The topic addresses providing clients opportunities to direct their own care and maintain relationships with their families.
The topic covers observing, recording and reporting clients' signs and expressions of pain and other symptoms in accordance with the plan of care.
The topic addresses identifying the rights of clients, family, substitute decision-makers or powers of attorney regarding advance care planning, goals of care discussions and consent in alignment with legislation.
The topic covers supporting clients and families in the last days and hours, including respect for spiritual and cultural practices related to dying, death and the afterlife.
Covers identifying and applying terms, principles and practices related to a palliative approach to care, palliative care, hospice care, and end-of-life care.
Covers identifying grief as a natural, adaptive, individual response to loss and strategies to support clients and families in grieving.
Covers supporting clients and families with the process of dying and preparation for death within the PSW role.
Covers providing clients opportunities to direct their own care and maintain relationships with their families.
Covers identifying the rights of clients, family members, substitute decision-makers or POAPC in relation to advance care planning, goals of care discussions and consent to treatment.
The topic addresses providing non-pharmacological comfort measures to clients experiencing symptoms as directed by the plan of care.
The topic covers reporting and recording clients' responses to comfort measures.
The topic addresses integrating self-care practices into daily routines when caring for dying clients and their families.
The topic covers providing culturally safe palliative care for Indigenous people and minority and underserved populations throughout the illness trajectory and bereavement.
Covers providing culturally safe palliative care for Indigenous people and people from minority and underserved populations throughout the illness trajectory and bereavement.
Identifying the roles that interprofessional team members have in the provision of optimal support and care.
Developing and maintaining respectful working relationships with other interprofessional team members.
Communicating relevant client information to interprofessional team members in an ongoing and timely manner.
Working and learning as a participating member of the interprofessional team.
Accepting and acting upon constructive feedback from clients, families, supervisors and team members.
Assisting in promoting the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of care delivered by the interprofessional team.
Covers identifying the roles that interprofessional team members have in providing optimal support and care.
Covers developing and maintaining respectful work relationships with other interprofessional team members.
Covers communicating relevant client information to interprofessional team members in an ongoing and timely manner.
Covers working and learning as a participating member of the interprofessional team.
Covers accepting and acting upon constructive feedback from clients, families, supervisors and team members.
Covers assisting in promoting the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of care delivered by the team.
Respecting the person's right to autonomy, dignity, privacy, preferences, safety, independence and confidentiality at all times.
Promoting the person's independence in a variety of care settings.
Treating each client as an individual with a unique personality and physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, sexual and cultural needs.
Providing care that respects the person's right to make choices, decisions and direct supportive care according to their abilities.
Providing supportive care that respects unique characteristics including race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation and social class.
Identifying and respecting clients' definitions of family structure and the roles and responsibilities of clients, families and significant others.
The topic covers identifying signs of change in clients' perception, memory, judgement, organization, language and motor skills associated with mental health challenges and illnesses and how effects vary with severity.
The topic covers identifying signs of change in clients' perception, memory, judgement, organization, language and motor skills associated with cognitive and intellectual impairments, delirium and/or dementia.
The topic addresses using basic behavioural strategies to mitigate or de-escalate clients' responsive behaviours as directed by the plan of care and applicable legislation.
The topic covers identifying changes in clients' behaviour and functioning associated with addictions to substances, gambling or other behaviours.
The topic addresses identifying the personal support worker's role in providing client-centred care for individuals exhibiting suicidal ideation and behaviour.
Covers identifying signs of change in clients' perception, memory, judgement, organization, language and motor skills associated with mental health illnesses and how effects vary with severity.
Covers identifying signs of change associated with cognitive and intellectual impairments, delirium and/or dementia and how effects vary with severity.
Covers identifying signs of change associated with acquired brain injuries including strokes and how effects vary with severity.
This page covers 80 of 195 topics. The PDF has all 195 — free, printable, no sign-up.
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